Narrated in authoritatively full-bodied tones by Russell Crowe, this doc about the frenzied global zeal for bordeaux wine travels from the châteaus of France to the skyscrapers of China, examining how the coveted beverage has given rise to a vino-fueled fanaticism. Devotees are willing to do anything to corner the market, while counterfeiters are poised to pass off inferior product as the real deal. Photographed with an alluring sheen that complements the coldly commercial wheelings and dealings of its subjects, Red Obsession fascinatingly reveals how Old World vintner artistry is being shaken up by New World supply and demand. The reliance on talking-head testimonials leaves a weak aftertaste, but it’s a palate-pleasing provocation nonetheless.
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